Massdrop ALT High Profile Alternative PCB

[cyben76]

Hey Guys,

I bought a MassDrop ALT High Profile keyboard new from a local seller since I had missed the Drop.
Board tested working at the seller's home, the seller was using a PC with a powered USB hub connected to the keyboard.

When I got home I plugged it to my Hackintosh (NUC8iBEH), it was working just fine, everything worked, but after an hour or so typing on it, the keyboard froze... LED was on but not responsive at all. So I unplugged it and reconnected it again, this time all the LED were off except for the front orange LED blinking. Reboot the computer and tried again, the same thing, the keyboard was not detected.

Contacted the seller, he said maybe there was not enough power, he suggested that I use a powered USB hub. So I purchase one the next day and tested, still same issue.

So after several weeks of trying out different USB cables and powered USB hub, it still didn't work.

I tried contacting MassDrop support but they can't honour the warranty unless it's from the original purchaser.

I don't blame the original seller as it was working perfectly when I bought it from him. He is a bit reluctant to help with the warranty since he is a very busy guy. I was thinking, is there any keyboard PCB out there that would work in the MassDrop ALT high profile case?

I'm trying the sell the case, keycaps and switches here, but the rules states i need to have at least 25 posts before I could sell anything. Selling on eBay is out of the question

[shansoft]

Massdrop keyboard required "USB 3.0", which both CABLE and COMPUTER must be using it to get it working.

USB 2.0 won't work.

[cyben76]

Massdrop keyboard required "USB 3.0", which both CABLE and COMPUTER must be using it to get it working.

USB 2.0 won't work.

Yes, I've tried everything. My hackintosh only has internal USB 2.0 headers

[voight-kampff]

Massdrop keyboard required "USB 3.0", which both CABLE and COMPUTER must be using it to get it working.

USB 2.0 won't work.

Yes, I've tried everything. My hackintosh only has internal USB 2.0 headers

You could try if the keyboard is working on windows, or flash an Ubuntu live distro to a pendrive and test if the problem exist on linux.

If not then I would say the usb ports are messed up on your hackintosh. Could be the case if the keyboard was working when you got the keyboard.

Sent from my MIX using Tapatalk

[cyben76]

Massdrop keyboard required "USB 3.0", which both CABLE and COMPUTER must be using it to get it working.

USB 2.0 won't work.

Yes, I've tried everything. My hackintosh only has internal USB 2.0 headers

You could try if the keyboard is working on windows, or flash an Ubuntu live distro to a pendrive and test if the problem exist on linux.

If not then I would say the usb ports are messed up on your hackintosh. Could be the case if the keyboard was working when you got the keyboard.

Sent from my MIX using Tapatalk

The thing, it was working at the seller's place. It was working when i brought it home, for just about an hour. I tested all the ports, even brought it down to the local internet case to test it on their system, could not detect the board at all...

[voight-kampff]

Massdrop keyboard required "USB 3.0", which both CABLE and COMPUTER must be using it to get it working.

USB 2.0 won't work.

Yes, I've tried everything. My hackintosh only has internal USB 2.0 headers

You could try if the keyboard is working on windows, or flash an Ubuntu live distro to a pendrive and test if the problem exist on linux.

If not then I would say the usb ports are messed up on your hackintosh. Could be the case if the keyboard was working when you got the keyboard.

Sent from my MIX using Tapatalk

The thing, it was working at the seller's place. It was working when i brought it home, for just about an hour. I tested all the ports, even brought it down to the local internet case to test it on their system, could not detect the board at all...

Yes, test it on your computer with an Ubuntu live pendrive, so you can be sure, if on Ubuntu you have the same simptoms that the keyboard is defect.
If you the keyboard is working fine on Ubuntu or any other Linux distro you choose for thest, you can be sure the hackintosh usb ports are the cause.

Trust me I am working with hackintoshes since 5 years.

Sent from my MIX using Tapatalk

[cyben76]

Massdrop keyboard required "USB 3.0", which both CABLE and COMPUTER must be using it to get it working.

USB 2.0 won't work.

Yes, I've tried everything. My hackintosh only has internal USB 2.0 headers

You could try if the keyboard is working on windows, or flash an Ubuntu live distro to a pendrive and test if the problem exist on linux.

If not then I would say the usb ports are messed up on your hackintosh. Could be the case if the keyboard was working when you got the keyboard.

Sent from my MIX using Tapatalk

The thing, it was working at the seller's place. It was working when i brought it home, for just about an hour. I tested all the ports, even brought it down to the local internet case to test it on their system, could not detect the board at all...

Yes, test it on your computer with an Ubuntu live pendrive, so you can be sure, if on Ubuntu you have the same simptoms that the keyboard is defect.
If you the keyboard is working fine on Ubuntu or any other Linux distro you choose for thest, you can be sure the hackintosh usb ports are the cause.

Trust me I am working with hackintoshes since 5 years.

Sent from my MIX using Tapatalk

Ok, thanks i'll try

[Sup]

Since it's a QMK board why not try to reset it and reflash with a different key map who knows. I had this problem with my Tina-C a long time ago and reflashing fixed it for me.

[cyben76]

Since it's a QMK board why not try to reset it and reflash with a different key map who knows. I had this problem with my Tina-C a long time ago and reflashing fixed it for me.

I want to, but can't even detect the board. Even BIOS doesn't detect it

[Sup]

Since it's a QMK board why not try to reset it and reflash with a different key map who knows. I had this problem with my Tina-C a long time ago and reflashing fixed it for me.

I want to, but can't even detect the board. Even BIOS doesn't detect it

Does it get power though? If it gets power you can try to hit the reset button and see if something then pops up. I don't have a ALT keyboard but most QMK compatible PCB's have a reset button on the back or 2 holes you have bridge to make it go into boot mode.

if that doesn't work i have no clue really.

[cyben76]

Since it's a QMK board why not try to reset it and reflash with a different key map who knows. I had this problem with my Tina-C a long time ago and reflashing fixed it for me.

I want to, but can't even detect the board. Even BIOS doesn't detect it

Does it get power though? If it gets power you can try to hit the reset button and see if something then pops up. I don't have a ALT keyboard but most QMK compatible PCB's have a reset button on the back or 2 holes you have bridge to make it go into boot mode.

if that doesn't work i have no clue really.

The power LED blinks, the reset button doesn't help a single bit.. I've tried many things for the past several weeks, only option try the Ubuntu flash drive thingy just to confirm it's dead then i'll just sell the case, keycaps and switches  away... I can't sell on ebay though...LoL boycotting them for deleting my 10 yr old account

[shansoft]

Massdrop keyboard required "USB 3.0", which both CABLE and COMPUTER must be using it to get it working.

USB 2.0 won't work.

Yes, I've tried everything. My hackintosh only has internal USB 2.0 headers

That is the problem, if you only have USB 2.0, the keyboard will not function.

I have encounter similar problem, but once plugged in to USB 3.0 port with USB 3.0 cable, everything works.

For some reason this wasn't on Massdrop's keyboard spec, but there are many post about it on this particular issue.

[cyben76]

Massdrop keyboard required "USB 3.0", which both CABLE and COMPUTER must be using it to get it working.

USB 2.0 won't work.

Yes, I've tried everything. My hackintosh only has internal USB 2.0 headers

That is the problem, if you only have USB 2.0, the keyboard will not function.

I have encounter similar problem, but once plugged in to USB 3.0 port with USB 3.0 cable, everything works.

For some reason this wasn't on Massdrop's keyboard spec, but there are many post about it on this particular issue.

My computer is USB 3.1, i've tried with so many USB cables, 2.0 and 3.0

[cyben76]

Massdrop keyboard required "USB 3.0", which both CABLE and COMPUTER must be using it to get it working.

USB 2.0 won't work.

Yes, I've tried everything. My hackintosh only has internal USB 2.0 headers

You could try if the keyboard is working on windows, or flash an Ubuntu live distro to a pendrive and test if the problem exist on linux.

If not then I would say the usb ports are messed up on your hackintosh. Could be the case if the keyboard was working when you got the keyboard.

Sent from my MIX using Tapatalk

The thing, it was working at the seller's place. It was working when i brought it home, for just about an hour. I tested all the ports, even brought it down to the local internet case to test it on their system, could not detect the board at all...

Yes, test it on your computer with an Ubuntu live pendrive, so you can be sure, if on Ubuntu you have the same simptoms that the keyboard is defect.
If you the keyboard is working fine on Ubuntu or any other Linux distro you choose for thest, you can be sure the hackintosh usb ports are the cause.

Trust me I am working with hackintoshes since 5 years.

Sent from my MIX using Tapatalk

Tested with the Ubuntu stick and it does not detect the keyboard.

[ErgoMacros]

Tested with the Ubuntu stick and it does not detect the keyboard.

Time to find a USB 3.0 computer and try it there, sounds like to me.

[cyben76]

Tested with the Ubuntu stick and it does not detect the keyboard.

Time to find a USB 3.0 computer and try it there, sounds like to me.

Didn't you read... My computer is USB 3.1 GEN 2 and I've actually tried it on the Windows computer at the local LAN shop and same issues... Not detected... I'm actually not trying to test if the PCB is working, I've tried everything for so many weeks. I'm just looking for a PCB that might fit into the MassDrop ALT High Profile case. If I can't find a PCB that would fit, I'm going to sell off the case, switches and keycaps.

[ErgoMacros]

Sorry. Thought I'd read the whole thread. Missed that one.
Good luck with your search!

[cyben76]

Sorry. Thought I'd read the whole thread. Missed that one.
Good luck with your search!

Thank you

[shansoft]

try resetting by holding fn + b for few second. Doesn't matter if its even detected.

See if you can flash QMK through it.

[cyben76]

try resetting by holding fn + b for few second. Doesn't matter if its even detected.

See if you can flash QMK through it.

Tried that before and just tried it again. Not working

[ilpsxnus]

Why don't you try disassembling it and connecting just the PCB to your computer to see if that works?

Or try the guy you bought it from, see if you can get him to help you submit an RMA to drop.

[cyben76]

Why don't you try disassembling it and connecting just the PCB to your computer to see if that works?

Or try the guy you bought it from, see if you can get him to help you submit an RMA to drop.

Tried it before. Took out all the switches, removed the PCB and plugged it in direct to the computer, still the same. I did actually went to the seller's house again, it worked at his house... Maybe i need to move? LoL 

[shansoft]

I got a feeling this is a USB 3 issue....

Somehow your computer isn't fully run on USB 3, or cable isn't USB 3 cable.

Did the seller give you the gray cable it came with?

[cyben76]

I got a feeling this is a USB 3 issue....

Somehow your computer isn't fully run on USB 3, or cable isn't USB 3 cable.

Did the seller give you the gray cable it came with?

Yes, I used the original cable. I even bought Anker USB3 to USB C, bought another one USB 3 to USB C and also tried Anker USB 2.0 to USB C. The weird thing was it was ok the first time I tried it, but only for less than 1 hour...

I tried it on a PC at a local LAN shop, could not detect as well. I have no idea the specs of the computer in the LAN shop though.

I even bought the same powered USB hub the seller used, did not work as well... I bought another higher-powered USB hub still did not work. The USB port on my Intel NUC8i7BEH is actually rated higher than the other 2 powered USB hubs I bought.

My computer manufacturer specs for USB:

2x front and 3x rear USB 3.1 Gen2; 2x USB 2.0 via internal headers

Only the internal USB headers are USB 2.0 it is not connected to anything though.. All the external USBs are 3.1 Gen2

Specs: https://www.intel.sg/content/www/xa/en/products/boards-kits/nuc/kits/nuc8i7beh.html

[shansoft]

Identical thing happened to me when I hook up to USB 2.0

It first work for like hours, then completely stop working afterward. Couldn't figure out why until I learned it needs USB 3.0 connection.

But since you already tried with it, now that does sound really weird.